Facebook has turned out to be a pseudo net neutrality supporter it seems. In a Facebook post published yesterday, the social kingpin has laid down some ground rules to use this service in lieu of relaxing the use of free internet service in the sub-continent. If you are thinking Internet.org is biding adieu to India, well, that is not happening. Rather, the free internet service is turning out to be more of an open platform for its users. The social media giant had previously found itself trading troubled waters when it introduced its Internet.org in India – an ‘apparently’ free internet service.

The Internet.org has been introduced as an open platform for developers across the globe so that they can integrate new services with Internet.org.

Mark Zuckerberg had introduced Internet.org to provide some services free to people who had no access to internet. His approach immediately faced a backlash from Indian users specially, as it openly violated Net Neutrality principles. Despite Zuckerberg’s continued defense that Facebook has extended its full support for the same, it is becoming increasingly hard to believe him. Thanks to the new rules published yesterday, users have more reasons to raise their eyebrows.

The guidelines

Internet.org will give free services to people allowing them to explore the whole gamut of knowledge the Internet is. By getting exposed to the wide range of online services and having a glimpse of how internet has information on anything and everything, they will soon become paid users.

Internet.org will not take into account websites that require higher bandwidth. Services like VoIP, file transfers, video, and such will not be a part of Internet.org service. Facebook explains “Operators have made significant economic investments to bring the internet to people globally, and Internet.org needs to be sustainable for operators so that they can continue to invest in the infrastructure to maintain, improve and expand their networks.”

Internet.org has certain technical limitations as well. Websites that require JavaScript or SSL/TLS/HTTPS will not be a part of this service. Those websites which will be part of the internet service must be optimized to be viewed on both featured and smartphones, taking up limited bandwidth.

Internet.org pitted against Net Neutrality?

From the time Internet.org has been launched in India in February, it has been at the center of debate. India, which is the third-largest country in terms of Internet users have been fighting for net neutrality fiercely. Over 1 million petitions have been sent to TRAI. In face of such scenario, Zuckerberg’s Internet.org came as a blow on the face of Internet users. The social media giant that remained absolutely quiet on neutral internet at its home-country, could not avoid the backlash in the sub-continent.

Only Reliance Users will avail Internet.org

Facebook, in collaboration with Reliance Communications had launched this internet service. Many other E-Commerce giants who were supposed to a part of this program, pulled out at the last moment when the net neutrality movement gained severe momentum in the country. At present, Internet.org is available only to those who have a reliance sim card. So is this how Facebook is taking revenge against other telecom services? Oh! Or may be this is how neutrality will be enforced- chucking out users of other network providers and compelling users to shift to Reliance ONLY?

Net Neutrality is a demand for free and equal treatment to all websites. The act of making one website’s loading time slow in order to force users to divert to another website had to stop. While telecom companies suffered a huge loss after Voice calling, video calling and messaging services became popular, to some extend political scenario in India was also responsible for the high-end discrimination in the internet world.

Chris Daniel, VP of product for Internet.org opined:

They are not unaware to the fight going on in India. However, Internet.org is not violating the claims of net neutrality. Rather the principles of Internet.org can co-exist with net neutrality programs and encourage people to come online in more numbers.

Zuckerberg explained that it is better to have something than have nothing. Internet.org will give people that ‘something’. In the Facebook post published yesterday, it quoted “For most people who aren’t online, the biggest barrier to connecting isn’t lack of infrastructure – more than 80% of the world’s population already lives within range of a mobile signal. Instead, the biggest challenges are affordability of the internet, and awareness of how internet services are valuable to them.”

This internet service is mainly targeted towards people with low-income margins and those in rural areas. With smartphone manufacturers like Xiaomi and Gionee churning out phones at a much lower price to fit the income brackets of almost everyone, this movement is surely like hitting a bull’s eye for people who have a smartphone but finds internet packs little costly to afford every month! But what if they take up some other network operator in place of Reliance?

Daniel cleared the air mentioning that Internet.org is an open platform to mobile developers and that does not involve any sort of payment, either to or from the developers.

Facebook has a monthly active user base of over 1 million across the globe. Anything that this social media giant does is bound to hit the headlines. The social media site has launched its Internet.org service in nine countries, including India, thereby bringing almost 8 million people online through it. This service provides basic free internet as well as free access to its networking and messaging platform.

However, Facebook’s approach is still been watched minutely by activists in India especially. The act of providing few services free have not really gone down well in this sub-continent. But this social media giant is known to make way for its own business. only time will tell if Internet.org will have a long life in the subcontinent or will it bid adieu too soon!

Net Neutrality is a demand for free and equal treatment to all websites. The act of making one website’s loading time slow in order to force users to divert to another website had to stop. While telecom companies suffered a huge loss after Voice calling, video calling and messaging services became popular, to some extend political scenario in India was also responsible for the high-end discrimination in the internet world.

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http://startups.fm/2015/05/06/facebooks-internet-org-guidelines-to-bring-more-people-online.html/feed0StartupsFM joins hands with HR CUBE at one of the largest Tech events in India-Techgrindhttp://startups.fm/2015/05/04/startupsfm-joins-hands-with-hr-cube-at-one-of-the-largest-tech-events-in-india-techgrind.html
http://startups.fm/2015/05/04/startupsfm-joins-hands-with-hr-cube-at-one-of-the-largest-tech-events-in-india-techgrind.html#commentsMon, 04 May 2015 17:14:34 +0000yodahttp://startups.fm/?p=6321Continue reading →]]>

StartupsFM has joined hands with HR CUBE, a startup aiming to bridge the expanding talent gap across the globe, for a tech event happening this May at Coimbatore. HR CUBE along with its co-host and event as well as venue partner Jansons Institute of Technology has taken an initiative to host one of the largest tech events in India- TECHGRIND. Before we proceed, we would like to mention Techgrind is not about just coding and building a demo product. That is just one portion of the whole pie.

This is for the first time that high school students can be part of the tech event as participants. Along with high school students, college students, freshers and working professionals will be a part of this high voltage event.

TECHGRIND concentrates on solving the daily problems that people face in day-to-day lives. It may be transport issues or weather detection problems,it may be some tax-related facts or something to do with cloud storage- we face so many hurdles as we continue our daily chores. TECHGRIND will try to solve such issues and many more with the help of technology. As we indulge in more and more gadgets and apps, it is ought to become the motto that technology can solve biggest of challenges. To make this motto mainstream, HR CUBE and JIT has come together to host a one-of-a-kind tech event.

Earlier we casino online mentioned, TECHGRIND is not like any other “hackathon”. You might ask why? Well, there will be over-night coding session but the highlight of this event is the energy-packed networking session that will go on throughout the event and also after-that. There is no dearth of talents and the demand for them, yet there seems to be a huge gap between the two. We have to understand that the kind of roles today”s startups and companies are offering is way different from the stereo-types. A marketer is no more focused on just marketing, that person is equally involved in designing and technical nitty-gritty of the company. Today”s demand is an all-rounder and an one who is open to challenges.

HR CUBE and JIT figured out that the bets way to put talents to test is throw real-time challenges at them and see how they tackle it. The idea of the event is not to see how many “completed products” come up but to see how creatively can they assess their pseudo customers and cater to them with a solution that can be time and cost effective!

There will be six events in total, and each event will have one winner and two runners up. The registration process is also two-fold for this event. Candidates have to pass an online test before proceeding to the final round or the DEMO DAY. However, the challenges for college students, freshers and working professionals will be little tough in comparison to that for high school students. This is the main reason that high school students will have direct entry to the DEMO DAY while the others will have to take first round. Teams in three at max. can come for the event. To know about the registration details, you can look up HR CUBE”s official Blog.

All the participants will get a golden opportunity to connect with startups and MNCs who will be there in the event. While high school students can look for internships, college students and freshers can avail full-time or part-time or internship options. Working professionals can tap into all of these as well as get contract-basis jobs too.

The entire event will be like a learning curve for everyone- opening up new avenues and bringing forth new challenges for everyone present there.

For event details like venue, time, registration and fees for the DEMO DAY, and others, please visit the event page ASAP. Seats are limited. Hurry!

Starting up is a big thing. But it needs attention to small details. There is so much to explore and find out when you are doing it on your own. Not every startup is blessed with a team at the commencement. However, we know the pangs and we thought of listing down everything that we could think under the sun and the moon! Well, this is not the end but rather beginning of a series which we will do every month, to serve you a platter of resources. Volume 1 deals with the first phase where we have our thinking caps on. Enjoy the list.

Lean Startup Tools and Resources

Startup weekend : A powerful network for leaders and entrepreneurs to inspire and get inspired. Launch a startup in 54 hours.

Copywriting 101 : Start writing great copy with this 10 easy lessons. After that you will also get links to tutorials for SEO, recommendations for professional trainings and also start writing killer headlines!

Design

What looks good, sells. Yes, it’s true. It is important enough to make your website look good. It should not just convey your business idea but also be a medium which will connect you to your audience and also have maximum conversions.

Tackling legal issues when starting off: Starting with the name of your business to its logo , structure and operation- everything has legal issues involved in them. This article comes handy to have a knowledge about such issues.

When we are talking about Legal Issues, it is vital that we talk about Tax issues as well.

Small Business Tax Center: Being a tax expert is not mandatory. But being aware of the basics is a must. IRS Small Business Advantage gives you this basic information about taxes that adds to the years your business will thrive.

National Venture Capital Association (NVCA): NVCA is considered the voice for US VC community. Members and entrepreneurs funded by NVCA also receive guide on innovation policies. Along with that comes long-term investment as well.

Best Reads

The Four Steps to Epiphany :A book full of resources- “The bestselling classic that launched 10,000 startups and new corporate ventures – The Four Steps to the Epiphany is one of the most influential and practical business books of all time.”

How to win Friends and influence People by Dale Carnegie : A consistent assistance to rich and successful business men for last 80 years, this book is the “grandfather of all-people-skills books”.This book has been a guide for entrepreneurs for years on how to tackle people and influence them.

Eric Ries at Stanford : An introduction to Lean Startup Resources from the author of bestseller-The Lean Startup.

Developing the CEO within you rofessor Joseph Bower from the Harvard Business School talks on how to nurture, train and evolve the CEO within you. A perfect interview to hear for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Muhammad Yunus: The Social Business Model :Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of The Grameen Bank, explains his “social business” model, a plan for addressing social issues through entrepreneurship.

If you’ve been reading the start-up press lately you’ll have noticed there’s a buzz about local services marketplaces. Amazon just announced its intends to launch one, Thumbtack is booming, and other niche providers like Rover (dog sitting) and HomeJoy (cleaning) have successfully raised funding from venture capital firms.

These marketplaces act as a middle-man between the local service provider (businesses like carpet cleaners, plumbers and pest controllers) and the customer, and use technology to make the process of finding, shortlisting, getting a quote/s & paying for services quicker and easier.

Opportunity for smaller specialist marketplaces to dominate a niche

Whilst Amazon is certainly well placed to take some market share, there is a window of opportunity right now for entrepreneurs to take advantage of this trend, and really focus on serving the needs of a specific niche.

Different industries have very different needs, and it’s not easy for a ‘general’ services marketplace to really cater to them all. For example finding, shortlisting and booking a hair dresser, is a bit different to organising a plumber to fix your toilet.

Both businesses and consumers will be drawn to smaller specialist websites that do one thing really well (and of course there’s a good chance one of the bigger marketplaces will want to buy your niche business once it starts getting some traction).

Help Consumers Find Trusted & Reliable Businesses

If you’ve ever looked for a plumber or carpet cleaner you’ll know it’s not as easy as it sounds, and finding a trusted and reliable business can be tricky. It’s not just the outright scammers you need to watch out for, but also the businesses who are difficult to deal with, turn up late and don’t do a very good job when they do get there.

Trust is a major factor in the decision making process when choosing a local services business, yet currently its difficult and time consuming for consumers to know which businesses to trust, and which to avoid.

This presents an opportunity for specialist marketplaces that make it easier for people to find the best local businesses, and to help them get to know, like and trust them (through detailed profiles, reviews & photos). Internationally there are a few companies already doing this really well. In Australia, Trusted Cleaner connects you with a vetted and verified cleaning company, and in the UK TrustaTrader helps you find a trusted builder, plumber or home service professional.

Before these 3rd party intermediaries started to crop-up around the world you only had two options:

Take a chance on Google

Use local directories (either online or offline)

Both these options don’t really work all that well.

Take a Chance on Google

Most people currently use Google (and other search engines) to find local businesses. They contact the first few businesses that appear when they search and waste time browsing out-dated websites (if they even have one!) and end up making multiple phone calls to get quotes & further information. Often it can take a day or more for calls to be returned and sometimes promised quotes never materialise.

Importantly there’s no way to know if a business is trusted, or reliable when browsing their own website (and they often don’t even have a picture of the business owner / team).

Use local directories (either online or offline)

Local directories are not much better. Essentially they provide with you an un-vetted (or at best ‘loosely’ vetted) list of companies, and you still have to do the shortlisting, verification and vetting yourself. Some of these businesses allow reviews, however these can be manipulated by businesses posting fake reviews.

The Trend Continues

Most people now go online when looking for a home services provider, and this isn’t going to change anytime soon. Right now there is a great opportunity for savvy entrepreneurs who are able to harness the internet / technology to remove the pain involved in finding, vetting and booking local service providers & make the process quicker, easier and more convenient.

Managing your mobile workforce is not the simplest of task. Do your employees have the ability to interact with your Human Resources Information System (HRIS) while mobile? Are they permitted access to the company’s HRIS range of capabilities, while traveling to various locations? Are your managers empowered to handle time sensitive functions away from the office? Does your current HRIS enable your employees to unchain from the office and function efficiently while mobile?

Are there necessary procedures to support a mobile workforce in place?

Is your company’s bandwidth needed supported by your current network?

Is your company’s network security in place?

When your employees work in one location, there actions and movements are typically observable at all times. Your managers have the ability to converse with the employees face-to-face. However, when your workforce is mobile, what will your employees do? The HRIS your business uses should give you the ability to uphold management and production while supplying your employees the capability of working remotely. A centralized system in place enables the management of a mobile workforce. With HRIS technology, your company can maintain open communication channels. You are enabled to streamline communicational business processes, which are needed in a mobile workforce. Remote management can sometimes produce a barrier, but open lines of communication will remove all barricades.

What can HRIS do for Mobile Workforces?

HRIS software maintains that communication is streamlined with a mobile workforce

An HRIS permits mobility, but your company should establish some clear objectives and realistic expectations, as this will ensure that trust is created and maintained. The HRIS allows you to measure employee performance while they are working remotely, and it allows your employees to focus on productivity while away.

HRIS provides other convenient features, such as employee information management, payroll processing training, and benefits administration. Leading reporting tools within most HRIS software products will assist companies at complying with both State and Federal laws. The system will allow for strategic planning the entire mobile workforce. Your company needs HRIS software products that are intuitive and one that provides automated tools. An HRIS will enable your company to improve on recruitments, as well as enhance management. Success is the key to money and organization is the key to success, which is what you get when you use an HRIS.

Organizations are constantly improving their HRIS systems to stay current with increasing market demands, as well as trends within the business world. Businesses can remain competitive and stay ahead of the competition by implementing mobile HRIS software.

Depending on where you look and who you ask, you may have heard conflicting things about whether satellite Internet is better or if cable Internet is. The reality is that the industry is changing. With every advance in technology, the two services are becoming more close in their capabilities – making the choice of which to use harder than just picking according to what is offered in your area, says Robert Kleymore from Networkreviews.net.

How do they compare in speed?

While cable Internet does have an advantage over satellite Internet in speed, the gap is both closing – and may be an unfair criterion to use for comparison. Many sites does a good job of comparing all of the different providers for both cable and satellite Internet. When it comes to looking at the download and upload speeds, you really have to keep your access requirements in mind. For many people, the Internet is used primarily for email and social networking – this is not an activity that requires lightening speeds of access. The reviews show that with even the lowest speed on a satellite Internet service, you can probably do everything you do now on the Internet without any noticeable lag. Watching movies and multi-player gaming is still more fluid on the cable networks, but for that you should be using a streaming service unless you have money to burn.

How do they compare in price?

Satellite Internet is more expensive to install at first, but there are more options now that help to bring down that price including renting the equipment. Once you are connected, the service runs about the same as cable Internet does after the first year. This is where things can get very tricky, cable Internet often advertises low prices as both a sign up incentive and for the first year. They rarely list what your prices will become after that first year. Satellite Internet also has more upfront options about download speeds and limits that allow for more flexibility in consumption rates and charges.

How do you know where satellite Internet is for you?

If you live in an area where there are no cable network providers, then the choice is very easy. If you live where you can choose between cable and satellite then you have to take several things into consideration. Right now, cable is still slightly more reliable; but satellite can provide more security for your data. The speed issue really doesn’t matter unless you are a hard core gamer or only stream movies. Also, your feelings about choice in service are important. If you are an advocate of free choice, you may just want to support the satellite Internet providers as they move into areas traditionally served by cable companies.

The one advantage you can’t ignore

The one advantage of satellite Internet that you can’t ignore is that it can go places that cable can’t. A cable provider can’t deliver service unless a cable already exists in the area. To run cables into an area is usually so expensive it has to be underwritten by the government. With satellite Internet, all you need is the antenna and the receiver. This is what allows it to go where cable can’t and makes the actual installation cost less expensive when looked at over a decade’s worth of Internet service.

Commissioning a school website is something that will take a significant amount of planning and preparation. There are many factors to consider, and you should think carefully about each of them before you commission a web design company. Here are some of the most important things to keep in mind to ensure the end result is exactly what you are hoping for.

Future proof

Website design is changing all the time in response to the way people access the web. Now, many people view websites on smaller screen sizes, and you want to ensure they can view your school’s website with ease.

You may therefore want to find a design agency that is skilled in responsive design. This is where one version of your website is designed, but it changes its appearance according to the size of the screen.

It provides a good user experience whether accessed via a tablet, phone or computer, and it is often a more cost-effective option than designing various websites for each platform.

Branding

Branding plays a large role in any school website. You will need to talk to your designer to find out how they will make sure your branding is consistent throughout the website and any other online properties you have.

Some school web design agencies like CSI Media may even be able to provide offline services as well, such as prospectus design and logo design. In this case, you will want to ensure that the branding is consistent throughout.

Ease of use

When it comes to your school website, you may want it to be more interactive and to become a portal for the school community. If you want your teachers to be able to update the website with information to share with students and parents, it will need to be easy for them to use.

They may want to update information about lessons, trips, homework and news, but if they are unable to do so with ease, this will defeat the purpose.

User experience

As well as making sure the website is easy to use for teachers and staff, you will also want it to have a positive user experience. If the parents and students find the website simple to navigate and easy to access the important information, they are more likely to use it.

Get an app as well

Think about whether you could also benefit from an app to go alongside your website. Apps are often even easier to use, and they can provide a direct portal to parents and students. Push notifications can also be used to report information in a simple and effective manner.

Choose experienced designers

You do not just want to look for skilled designers, but also designers with experience with school websites and the unique challenges involved in them.

Find a designer who has created many websites for schools in the past, and look through the sites they have created. Decide whether you like the look and feel as well as the overall user experience, and this will be a good starting point to choosing your designer.

Get your new school website up and running

Once you have gone over all of these factors, it’s time to get your school website off the ground. Make sure you communicate all of your aims to your designer and they will help you to come up with a website that meets all of your expectations.

It is essential for small businesses and startups to develop with a sustainable business model in mind. Long-term success depends on a plan that assesses risk and allows for the capitalisation of the opportunities that arise. This takes into account everything from cash flow to the sales and delivery process.

Business coaching and leadership development can be used in many cases to perfect the specific strategies for growth envisioned by the business owner and management group.

Small business owners often have their own vision for the future of their business. Expert advisors can analyse that vision and determine the steps necessary to implement a specific course of action that accomplishes the goals.

Many small business owners have great ideas but not necessarily the experience to achieve their maximum potential. Businesses with great visions use such consultants to provide solutions and add structure to enable the business to become more diverse and sustainable.

Some of the typical challenges that advisors and business coaches help with are:

Revitalising the business for growth – The recession has unnerved many small business owners and employees. Job security, tight credit and cost-conscious consumers have pressured small businesses.

At the same time, some businesses have seized the moment. Many business owners have recognised new opportunities, sometimes afforded by the closing of a competitor, and have implemented business strategies to gain from these opportunities.

Converting the start-up to a small business – One of the biggest challenges for the entrepreneur with a start-up business is transforming that enterprise into a small business. The challenges are numerous.

Often, the first step is to develop a realistic business plan. In cases where the business model is established, each component must be refined, structured and implemented. This can be a big task for an entrepreneur dealing with the basic functions of operating a business.

Standardising new products – One of the biggest challenges for new businesses is how to bring new products to market in an organised manner. The introduction of a new product can greatly impact the small business.

Not every small business owner has experience bringing new products to market. Consultants can offer solutions from many fronts, including pricing, marketing, advertising, packaging and distribution.

Building sustainable morale – Building a consistently positive morale is essential to maintaining productivity amongst the team.

The small business only performs as well as the team’s morale. Customers sense high morale, co-workers cooperate and work better when morale is high and the business runs more efficiently when morale is up.

There are many benefits to developing a business plan together with the assistance an independent advisor. Ultimately, the vision for success must first come from the owner of the business, but given the right assistance, a startup can develop sustainably over time into something much greater.

There are many issues to consider for the business owner, including tax, HR, contract law, place of work, and much more. Gaining clarity on these topics can help a business grow.

Staying tax-compliant is a major challenge in the UK. Even with the best of intentions, it can be difficult to ensure that all taxes are paid correctly and on time. Seeking a third party’s advice on this matter can allow the business owner to focus on the job at hand and not worry about ensuring tax compliance.

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This is an article by Clark Howes Group, an established firm of business accountants with offices across the UK. Their clients include both early-stage and mature businesses, ranging from start-ups, sole traders and partnerships, through to limited companies and international groups.

After closing a new round of funding of $10 million, payments startup Plastiq now enables its users to swipe their credit cards anywhere. The funding was led by Khosla Ventures along with other contributors such as Atlas Ventures and Flybridge Capital partners. Ben Ling, Khosla partner will soon come aboard as one of the board of directors and partner Keith Rabois will grace the team as advisory to the company.

Plastiq provides a solution or rather a service that replaces paper checks, money orders, Automated Clearing House, Wire Transfers via credit cards. It incurs a very nominal charge (something between 1.89 percent and 2.89 percent of the transactions in Canada) to let people use their credit cards. Plastiq is taking up a global approach in its services.

The idea of Plastiq dates back to the times when co-founder and chief executive Eliot Buchanan was in college at Harvard University. It was during his college days when he faced problems is paying his tuition fees via cards, and instead had to write checks. His college explains the company’s headwaters being located at Boston!

Plastiq lists payments for taxes, tuition, rents and utilities. however, Buchanan explains that people will be able to make all sorts of payments for which traditionally they cannot use cards.

“The most interesting thing to me is that customers are bringing new examples every day about where they’re using Plastiq for.” He said.

At present, Plastiq is operational in Canada only. Tests with US are on, and it might be as early as late 2014 that Plastiq will open its doors to US as well. The reason Plastiq rolled off with Canadian market is its similarity to the US market. Also the partnerships offered to Plastiq played catalyst in rolling it out in Canada quickly and easily.

What strikes one is that Plastiq is available only for browsers. Although it is optimized for mobile devices, Buchanan opined that since Plastiq takes care of payments largely and his research showed that people tend to use desktop computers for such transactions more, his users will be comfortable using Plastiq on desktops.

“The primary goal of this round is … really around talent and people“- Buchanan said. Plastiq plays host to a team of around 20 people at present. However, plans to grow the team to 20 or 40 are on the cards. Much of the team expansion will involve the boosting of operation team who will help in the US launch. Plastiq’s headquarters will also make a move to San Francisco, bidding adieu to Boston by the end of 2014.

FIFA 2014 was not only a game this year. While 11 players were chasing one ball on the field, FIFA lovers have been rolling out statuses at a speed which can give those players a tough competition! As Round 16 was round the corners in early July, Facebook revealed the number of ‘Cup-related posts, likes and comments’ to cross a billion. Around 220 million users have been talking about World Cup 2014; the counting being done from the day this Tournament has begun. Not just Facebook, even Twitter has been graced by 330 million tweets. Now that makes #FIFA2014 one of the biggest events of this year.

“After the first two weeks, we saw over 300 million total tweets about the World Cup, making it one of the most tweeted events in Twitter history,” Brian Poliakoff, a Twitter communications representative quoted.

Although the world was depressed with Brazil taking the exit, they refused to let go off the social media platforms. Their angst, happiness, depression and opinions of all kinds made way to Social Media. The ardent urge of people to share their views has officially made World cup 2014 the biggest event- in terms of sports or otherwise- in the history of Facebook.

“Facebook and the World Cup are both fundamentally global, and we knew that Facebook would become a global, mobile stadium where people connect and engage during the tournament. It turned out to be a unique moment for us, and one that has seen the highest level of conversation for any event Facebook has ever measured”~ A Facebook spokesperson told CNN in June 2014.

FIFA 2014 runs ahead of any other popular Facebook moment- for instance, The Super Bowl had 50 million people interacting about it, generating only 185 million interactions. Although the ‘ 2014 Cup’ has dwarfed other moments, it has been reported that these interactions are happening within a small but active portion of Facebook only- this portion makes up just 17% of Facebook.

Going at par with the extent of the digital conversation happening on social media, Twitter and Facebook joined the bandwagon as well. While Facebook created Trending World Cup to showcase all world cup related posts and updates from friends, Twitter arranged for a separate feed for the #WorldCup where tweets from players, selected clubs, media outlets and FIFA kept streaming in.

Hashtags are definitely a favourite for social media users. The use of a particular hashtag in support for a team- for example #MEX- immediately showed an image of that country’s flag beside the post. Twitter reported that hashtags #USA and #BRA are the most used ones in this world cup, as observed till June 12, 2014. Not just this, World Cup of Tweets initiated a well-versed discussion and prediction series as to who will take the Cup home!

However, saying that just social media conversations has led to this overwhelming global appeal of the game will be wrong. Another measure that demands mention is the FIFA World Cup “second-screen app” launched in June 2014. This app has been downloaded for more than 10 million times, where almost 3 million fans regularly accessed the videos, statistics and live match content. Although in terms of social media standards these numbers are modest, but what is alarming is that people are taking to more nontraditional measures of watching the match.

“We are proud to say that this FIFA World Cup has been the biggest multimedia sporting event in history, with more people watching matches and highlights online than ever before,” said FIFA Director of TV Niclas Ericson.

Even after Germany claimed the World cup, the excitement hasn’t really ceased to exist. Talks are still on about Messi, about Germany and about the Golden Ball award!